The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-16
A SMACK SUNK BY A SHOT.
SENSATIONAL RUMORS OF AN
OUTRAGE BY CANADA.

TSoplo Oh buCCOuCn6 tLSpOrC nearing
Firing and Seeing an American Yes
sci Sink-The Cruiser Said to Have
then Started in Pursuit of Another
Fishing Vessel.
HALIFAX, Aug. 15-There is no confir-
nation here of the report telegraphed from
Ottawa that Canadian cruiser had fired
upon and sunk an American fisherman off
Buctouche, causing loss of all on board.
The report elnanated from Buc-
touche, outside of which place
positively nothing is known. Many tele-
grams of inquiry have been sent to Buc
touche and vicinity, but so far no informa-
tion has been elected. Whatever founda-
ton there is for the report, it
seems pretty certain that the people
of Buctouche have been talking about the
matter for several days. The affair must
either have been seen by some one there or
the rumor must have originated in and
been confined to that place for some little
time before it reached the outside world.
CANNON SHOTS HEARD.
HALIFAX, N. S., Aug. Is, IL p. m-The
telegraph wires between New Brunswick
and Halifax have been crowded all day with
inquiries as to the sources of the rilmors
that a Canadian cruiser had sunk
an American fisherman and it has been
learned positively that the reports of a
gun were heard off Buctouche harbor some
days ago. They were heard between 8 and
9 O'Clock in the morning and were thought
by the people, not yet out of their houses to
be peals of thunder. but the sky was cloud
les in all directions. The story
then goes that man came up
to the village from the shore and
reported that an unknown Dominion fishery
cruiser had dismasted and sunk an Amer
ican fisherman, the vessel going dowu with
every soul on board. So far as can be
ascertained the vessels were too far out from
shore for any row boats to render assistance,
but on this point no statements of sub
| stantial nature are to be obtained.
THE WHOLE STORY DIsCREDITED.
The whole story is thus discredited, as it
| is not to be believed that men would stand
| idly on the beach gazing calmly upon yes
| sci disappearing beneath the waves
without making the slightest efforts
| to rescue the perishing. Coupled with
other rnmors of the same unconfirmed
| character is the statement that there was
another United States fisherman in the
| vicinity at the time, and that after one sank
| impossible to say what gave rise to the re-
ports in the first instance The Asso-
| ciated Press has reliable intelligence to
| the effect that gun shots were actually
heard off Buctouche on the morning in
question. Whether some fishermen of the
| locality used this occurrence to form the
basis of the sensational story for the delec-
| tation of the village cannot be said posi-
lively, but it is the only reasonable expla-
nation.
A SIX-PoUND SHOTS POWER.
Commander Scott said this afternoon
| that it might be a very easy matter for
| six-pound shot from a cruiser to sink
| schooner, but if such an event did happen
| the Fishery Department would receive the
| particulars at once. There was a few
| fish in the water off Buctouche, but not
sufficient to take Americans into those
waters. The cruisers are paying little or
no attention to what is going on at or near
Buctouche, their services being required
| elsewhere. The Buctouche district is COW
| cred by the cruisers Advance and
L. Houlette, but they have not been known
to be in that vicinity for several weeks.
| Consul General Phelan is also impressed
| with the belief that there is no foundation
for the sensational report, but has tele-
graphed to various points to ascertain what
there is in it.
TAKES NO STOCK IN THEM.
The rumors given herein have been told
to him. but he regards them as empty and
groundless, and refuses to entertain them
seriously. 81 cannot" he said, "for one
moment think that such serious
thing has occurred. 1t would
be impossible for it to be so and we be with
out particulars for so many days. No, it is
not true"
The public are equally slow to believe the
report. No excitement has been caused
here and there will be comparatively little
interest shown unless something more def